Cody Rhodes' WWE Characters Ranked - From Worst To Best

The 619 that broke "Dashing" Cody Rhodes' nose did more than physically hurt him; it fractured his ego and shattered his mental state. Forced to sport a plastic face guard, Rhodes referred to himself as "hideous." His psyche was damaged beyond repair and the result was a more dangerous second-generation wrestler than the fans had seen before.

It also provided audiences with a far more compelling on-screen persona than they had come to expect from Rhodes.

Every week, he would blame Mysterio for the "facial deformities" he suffered, then would shield his mug from the camera, despite there being nothing at all wrong with his face. He would channel his anger, frustration, and fury into the greatest streak of his career. Rhodes went on to net a WrestleMania victory over Mysterio and deliver some of his finest promo work in that role. His demands that fans cover their own hideous faces with brown paper bags allowed audiences to take part in the act, something that always translates to success.

For the first time, Rhodes was seen by fans as his own man. He had broken the mold, freed himself from the unfavorable comparisons to his father Dusty and brother Goldust, and was a Superstar on the SmackDown brand that had some discussing a potential main event run. Never again would he achieve the quality of work that he did as the shattered version of his Dashing persona.